Love Never Ends
by Manapply
Summary: The summer before her 7th year Lily Evans begins a transformation that will change her heart, her life, and her soul forever catalyzed by one James Potter. MWPP.
1. A Kindred Hollow

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter, but I love her wizarding world. Re-edited 09-16-2011.

* * *

**Love Never Ends**

**By Aepple**

Chapter 1: A Kindred Hollow

Lily Evans stared out the window of the train. She could see her green eyes as they reflected in the window, where she also saw the blue eyes of her sister, Petunia. Petunia's eyes bored into Lily's lap, where the book _Mysteries of Gringotts_ lay unopened. Lily brought it in preparation for her summer internship at Gringotts Bank in London, where she would work with the Ministry of Magic's Department of International Cooperation. At the recommendation of Professors Flitwick and Dumbledore both the ministry and the goblins had agreed to give Lily this position. Lily excelled at charms, a strength that when carefully focused could be used for the greater good of both the ministry and the goblins.

She would be allowed into Gringotts, an honor that excited her. With all of its charms, enchantments, and spells, Gringotts fascinated Lily more than even Hogwarts. She repeatedly had questioned Professors Dumbledore, Flitwick, and Slughorn about the enchantments guarding Hogwarts and gained a far greater perspective than she could have from any book. To question, discuss, and interact with the creators of such old and rich magic fascinated Lily deeply. If Lily could understand the goblins and their works better, maybe she could protect the goblins and herself from Lord Voldemort and his death eaters' deadly rampage against all but pure-born wizards.

Her sister, oblivious to the war, sat angrily transfixed by Lily's book… by Lily's abilities, by Lily's life. Her anger manifested itself as hate and disdain. She did not want Lily to come with her to Godric's Hollow. She did not want Lily to meet Vernon & his family. She did not want Lily to scare away her one chance for happiness, for a life away from the torture of being inferior. Petunia felt hurt by her parents' love for her sister. They incessantly bragged about Lily's high marks, about the honor Lily brought to the family name, and about Lily's summer internship. They didn't brag about Petunia. How could they possibly love her too?

Petunia didn't understand her parents' love. She didn't understand a love that began between enemies, grew into friendship, and blossomed into love. When her mother met her father, he called her carrots, which instilled a fiery anger in her, similar to Petunia's anger, that would not be repelled until her father's love had quenched it. His love transformed whatever it touched, but appeared slow, steady, and stabile, which is why even Lily wanted the opposite.

Both Petunia and Lily wanted whirlwind fairytale romances. They wanted a knight on horseback to rescue them from a fire breathing dragon, a Romeo to sing them sonnets beneath their balcony, a warm hand to hold through life's storms, to run into their lovers arms after spending just two weeks apart, men who would happily watch them sleep, and for both of them to just _know_ that it was meant to be. It is true, that is also what their mother wanted, but as their mother always told them, 'Love isn't as simple as it is in fairy tales. It's far more complicated. You can never tell the beginning from the end.'

Petunia had gotten their wish, her fairy tale with Vernon Dursley. He pursued her from the beginning with a single rose on her locker. He was her knight on a white horse, ready and willing to take her away. She would meet his family again on this trip. He would present her with a ring, his grandmother's ring, at the old Dursley family home in Godric's Hollow. They would plan for a summer wedding, and after graduation ride off into the sunset, away from her parents, away from Lily, away from all traces of magic.

Lily had begged Petunia to take her with her just this once to meet the Vernon's family. She asked for no more, just one day with Petunia, Vernon, and his parents, and then she'd leave in the morning. In part she wanted to put enchantments on the house and to protect Petunia and Vernon from anyone that might try to harm them. In part she wanted to say her farewells to her sister. In part she wanted to get away from Spinner's End and her proximity to Severus Snape. She remembered too many good times there before _he _abandoned her. She would spend one night in Godric's Hollow, and leave Sunday afternoon for London.

Lily must have drifted further into thought, because as the train's whistle blew, she jumped, back to her seat on the train, back to the blue eyes staring at her book. As the train screeched to a halt, Lily and Petunia quickly picked up their stuff and set off for the platform. Petunia, looking from left to right, dropped all of her stuff as she ran and jumped onto a short chubby gentleman with sandy hair. That was Vernon Dursley, the lucky owner of one of the Evans' hearts. The two exchanged kisses and a few tears, as Lily grabbed, and wobbly pushed, Petunia's things with her own through the station.

Arriving at the Dursley's home, the air smelled of rain and freshly mowed grass. Lily saw, a street lined with large trees, and ancient homes. The Dursley's house stood in the midst of giant vibrant green trees and what appeared to be a trail that interlaced between the homes and the forest. Beneath the awes and coos of Vernon and Petunia, a large home near the street's end drew Lily's attention.

"Who lives there?" Lily asked. The home stood three stories high, nearly all brick and stone with the prettiest red plum trees she had ever seen that wrapped around the house and etched into the forest.

"An older family," Vernon replied. "They've lived there for centuries. They're rather quiet though. Their son, around our age, goes to some boarding school up the coast. It's only noisy when he's home. He brings his friends, your sort of lot, pretty odd people, I'd say," he continued.

Lily wondered if once again she had found friends, schoolmates, so close to the Muggle world.

"Let's not talk about _them_ when we're with your family," Petunia said.

Exchanging a weakening kiss with his sweetheart, Vernon muttered, "Okay, okay."

As Vernon and Petunia quickly left to settle their things in their rooms on the second floor, Lily happily introduced herself to Vernon's parents, who were older, much like the home, both with varying degrees of graying hair. Both had retired as professors of architecture and Lily immediately felt a strong kinship. She would have her own studio in the attic that they had designed for special guests. Vernon had arranged this fearing from Petunia's stories that Lily was capable of _anything_, and should be kept out of the way, but kindly treated. The attic suited Lily just fine as she had great views of both the mansion up the street & the forest, access to the roof to set her protective enchantments, and an ample supply of old architecture books about building structures, designs, and elements of style from a muggle perspective.

Lily spent the afternoon in the attic setting protective charms, and observing the mansion up the street. At dinner her curiosity got the better of her. "The house at the end of the street looks quite different from the other houses in the neighborhood," she started.

"It's one of the oldest in the neighborhood. It's been around for centuries, but modified over time," Mr. Dursley said.

"When we have our house, we're going to move into a neighborhood where the houses all look the same," Vernon said as an aside to Petunia.

"I didn't mean to imply that there is anything wrong with being different," Lily said.

"In actuality it's quite the same structure as the other house, but at times the trees give it the appearance that it's different," Mr. Dursley continued, "the trees at the end of the street are quite different from the ones here. If you have time, you should go look at them. The trail around back wraps around the neighborhood and ends behind that house at a park."

"I think I will. Thank you for the suggestion," Lily said. Her senses told her that wizards owned the house surrounded by the purple trees, that they had enchanted the trees, and that to ward off muggles they had charmed the environment around the house, but she needed to know for sure. Never prone to trouble, but always ready for investigations, after dinner Lily determined she would walk up the road, break through their concealment charm, and introduce herself.

* * *

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter, but I love her wizarding world.


	2. A Curious Rescue

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter, but I love her wizarding world.

* * *

**Love Never Ends**

**By Aepple**

Chapter 2: A Curious Rescue

Lily Evans mirrored her mother in beauty with bright green almond shaped eyes, fiery dark red hair, in intelligence, and above most things in curiosity. She intensely desired to know everything about anything around her. At school this quirk received encouragement with her Professors teaching her counterspells to almost any situation she encountered. In the Muggle world, however, her slips did not go unnoticed, as she was forbidden to use magic. She would simply smile, leave the mess where it lay, and accredit it all to ghosts and hauntings. This summer she determined her few days in the Muggle world would be peaceful. When the opportunity arose to visit a wizarding home, invited or not, she could not resist, and took it as an opportunity to escape.

"I'm going up the road to the house on the hill," Lily told Vernon and Petunia after dinner. They sat on the couch in the living room holding hands, and watching the tube.

"Don't do anything bizarre while you're gone," Petunia said yawning.

"What could happen?" Lily replied. In reality she would try her best, but also understood if the house on the hill truly belonged to wizards she had nothing to worry about. She felt at ease. After all she had turned 17 back in April, and as long as no Muggles followed her, she could fix anything that happened.

Nearing the massive structure, she instantly felt warm, missed sister, and wanted to go home. All of these feelings indicated to her that a magical barrier did in fact guard the house from intruders. A faint purple glow illuminated the house, an identifying mark that allowed her to break its concealment. She recited a few words, flicked her wand, and yellow sparks emerged. The trees changed to their normal dark green, and the house to its natural stone grandeur illuminated only by the moon through the trees.

She approached the door of this newer version of the house, and knocked rather loudly. She waited. She knocked again. No one was home. Not wanting to admit defeat she walked around to the back of the house. She could see that the basement lights were on. She knocked on the back door, and again was greeted with no answer. Peering through the basement window she could see a table for chess, a few lamps… and a dark haired boy. She couldn't tell who it was until he started talking. She'd know that voice from anywhere. It was James Potter, the arrogant, bullying, toe-rag from Hogwarts who thought he was the world's gift to women.

James Potter, her sworn enemy, constantly prattled around scrunching his messy black hair, pulled pranks, and found his way into & out of trouble. _Of course he would live in a mansion and of course his family would have money._ She thought to herself. It was all too apparent in his demeanor. He excelled at everything: Quidditch, Transfiguration, even Potions. He matched her top marks effortlessly in everything, but Charms. He bragged incessantly, and every girl swooned when he passed in the halls & would die to have their hands all on him, except her. He wouldn't stop incessantly asking her out, to this or that. _Come to my Quidditch match, Come to Hogsmeade with me, _he'd demand. It annoyed her, and if he'd just grow up maybe he'd have a chance with her.

He always tried to impress her by transfiguring her friends' things into lilies, roses, jewelry, soft mittens, and even her favorite books. She had to admit he had tack. He had everything, but she'd made her decision. She stubbornly wasn't going to let him win her as well. She couldn't stand him. The sound of his voice annoyed her and she began to walk away, which turned into a trot, and then a run deeper into the forest. She ran for a while, because she heard the door open, and his voice call out, "Who's there? If it's Sirius, I'm on my way." She could sense the smile in his voice, and it peeved her even more.

_Great,_ she thought as she ran deeper into the now deep green forest. _Sirius is around here somewhere too._ Sirius Black, his companion in trouble, matched James' good looks, intelligence, and strange sense of humor. She ran a little deeper into the forest, not wanting James to see her. _What were the chances that the Dursleys lived in Potter's hometown? He's not going to find me_, she told herself. Besides she'd be gone by morning if she could find her way out of this forest.

During her hasty departure from Potter's residence, she forgot to exit the enchanted environment, which she would soon find only protected her from what lay in the forest. She ran until she came to a clearing, a meadow, where the moonlight shone brighter than ever. Ever so quietly she peered through the trees. She saw tall grass, violet flowers, and a large black dog standing in front of a large grayish brown _werewolf. _She blinked. Nothing changed.

Slowly, she took a step backwards. Hearing the crunch of the ground, the two figures turned their heads. She stopped. The dog growled, the werewolf howled and suddenly began running in her direction. After emitting a high pitched shriek, her body took over forcing her into a run that caused her to trip over a small vine. She could hear the footsteps of the werewolf approaching, and began to panic. She tried unsuccessfully to untangle her feet from the vines. Suddenly he was there, the werewolf, tall with sandy brown hair.

She fumbled for her wand and recited, "Protego Totalum!" Faint blue sparks emerged as it cast a shield up around her. Although holding for the moment, given her strength she knew it would not protect her forever. She quickly pulled herself together, untangled her feet, stood to her feet, and began to run.

She hadn't gotten far when she heard another set of footsteps behind her. Pulling out her wand she quickly turned around. "Who's there?" she whispered.

Amidst the greenery she saw another brown animal. Time stood still to her as she gazed into its hazel eyes. Little did she know that this was the first time she'd ever let James look her directly in the eye, the first time she would let him in, the first time she'd trust him. She knew he would run her to safety. Gently walking towards it, she pulled herself onto its back, clasped its neck, and let it run her the remainder of the way out of the forest. A smell of chestnuts and old spice filled the air as she rode. His run was gentle, but commanding. As they emerged from the woods, he continued to trot to the doorstep where she had seen Potter, which took her by surprise. _Did James Potter's stag just rescue her from a werewolf? _She asked herself. She dismounted perplexed and in awe.

Her wonder and amazement were interrupted as her sweet, beautiful, gentle stag transformed into no other than the tall messy haired obnoxious James Potter.

"Lily," he said kindly opening the door for her. "Wait in here; I'll be back."

She gaped at him motionless. She heard a faint howl from the forest and snapped out of her trance.

"Wait!" She grabbed her muscular well defined arm. "Now is not the time for heroics," she said stubborn and not moving.

He smirked with a witty reply, "Evans, I can't be hurt as an animagi." Grabbing her hand, he swiftly placed her over his shoulder, and securely inside his basement.

"James! Stop!" she yelled, blocking the door with her body. "You can't go back out there."

Looking directly into her eyes and closing the space between them he said, "I didn't know you cared so much." He knew she would in fact back down. She never had held his gaze for long. He didn't understand why fully.

The intensity of their eye contact grew, until Lily, looking down, whispered, "I don't."

Grasping her hands he said, "I'll explain more later, but I need to lead it further into the woods. One hour tops. Stay here. I'll be back." She relented and moved her to the side as he changed back into a stag and ran again into the forest.

No doubt, there was chemistry between Lily and James. Everyone saw it, even Lily herself, who refused to acknowledge it. If they weren't going to snog each other to death, they would bicker incessantly, even about something as serious as a werewolf. Lily paced the room too absorbed in her thoughts to take in her surroundings.

_James is as stuboorn as ever,_ she thought. _Does he really think he can take on a werewolf alone. Of all the stupid, inconsiderate, thoughtless things…_ Her thoughts went on like this for a while until she tired and sat down at the chess table. Sirius's jacket lay inches away and it smelled of garlic. Embroidered on its back were the names Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, the nicknames of James' crew. _Padfoot_, Lily thought. Within a few moments she knew. Remus was the werewolf, Moony. Sirius was the black dog, Padfoot. James was the stag, Prongs. Peter Petigrew, another member of the group collectively know as the Marauders was Wormtail. They were all animagi.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for all the reviews! I appreciated them! I plan to update weekly on Thursdays. The story line is written, as are a few of the chapters. During the week I go back, edit, and rewrite chapters to make them more fluid, detailed, and better written. If a chapter reaches 3000 words, I chop it in half. This happened to Chapter 1, as it also happened to this chapter. The original Chapter 1 will now span Chapters 1-3. Don't worry. Chapter 3 will be up next Thursday as it is mostly written.

* * *

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter, but I love her wizarding world.


	3. A Transfiguring Charm

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, and I do not own Harry Potter, but I love her wizarding world.

* * *

**Love Never Ends**

by: Aepple

Chapter 3: A Transfiguring Charm

James ran back through the forest towards Padfoot. He felt relieved that Lily was okay, that she hadn't been harmed. Carefully placing that worry aside, he mind drew to back to the woods, back to the moon, back to the black dog left alone with the large wolf. He knew that controlling Moony alone, or with a rat, was brutally difficult, as he had experiences on many occasions. As he neared the field where they usually played, he could see that the clouds had obscured the moon. Moony sat near a tree resting with his broomstick in his hand while Sirius appeared to be chasing Peter through the air.

He morphed out of his stag form as he approached the tree taking a seat.

"Hey," he said patting him on the shoulder. "It looks like we're done for the night." James said admist the silence.

Seeing James, both Sirius and Peter made a nose dive for the tree, and hovered just above the ground.

"Is she safe?" Sirius asked trying to catch his breathe.

"She's back at my house. I told her to stay there and wait for me."

Sirius laughed shaking his head, "And you think she'll actually listen to you?"

James shrugged his shoulders, "I didn't think about it twice. I needed to make sure you guys were okay." James could see his snitch in Sirius's hand.

Remus was silent. He knew he would never be okay. Had they survived the night? Yes. "You should go back to Lily, James." He spoke.

"If she's still there…" Sirius added.

"Make sure she gets home," Remus continued. "Keep as much as you can a secret."

James knew that Remus always worried about how everyone would treat him if they knew the truth.

"Remus, she's not like that."

"All the same," Remus said standing up. "We'll wait out here for you."

With that Remus mounted his broom, Sirius released the snitch, and the three of them were off again.

James ran through the woods as Prongs in a slight trot. With the Marauders out of his mind, he focused on Lily. When he found her in the woods, she looked him in the eye. Hers were a beautiful emerald green, his favorite color. She had known to climb on his back. She trusted him… as long as she didn't know it was him. She _didn't_ trust that he wouldn't get hurt by Moony. She had tried to protect him, _very brave_, James thought. It meant she must care at least a little. Yet she would seldom look him directly in the eye. He didn't know why. The few times when she had were amazing. He felt chemistry. Not only was she beautiful and brilliant, he felt a connection with her that he hadn't with any other girl. He liked arguing with her, and in time he was determined to win her. She would come running into his arms, not away, a victory that he hoped would happen this year.

James approached he basement, and took in a deep breathe of courage. Opening the door, he saw Lily seated at his chess table fumbling with the pieces deep in thought. He closed the door, and walked towards her taking his seat at the table across from her.

He attempted eye contact, which she refused. He sighed and asked, "How did you get through the enchantment?" James asked.

Taken aback Lily replied, "What are you talking about? What enchantment?"

"We put an enchantment on the house so no one can see it or into the forest. They don't have an interaction with it. We used a pretty powerful one. What did you do to break through it?"

"Oh," she sighed, "James, the counterspell is rather well known. I was just reading about it in _Mysteries of Gringotts _on my train ride here," she added knowledgeably.

He stared at her for a moment anxious, and absorbed in many thoughts. Taking in another deep breathe he said, "Lily, this does not leave the basement."

Sensing his sincerity, she asked, "Is Remus okay?"

"What does he have to do with this?" James asked with a raised eyebrow.

"James, stop it. I know," Lily said shaking her head. "I know he's the werewolf. Prongs. Padfoot. Wormtail. Moony. You're all animagi. It only makes sense. Admit it," she said.

"I can only tell you my secret," he said realizing his mistake as it came out.

"But how did Remus become a werewolf? What happened?"

He his hand through his hair making it even more messy. Over the past few years, she observed that he only did this when he was nervous.

"I won't tell anyone that I know. Well, Sirius will know that I saw him, but Remus doesn't know," Lily said.

"Lily, we were protecting him and having a little fun," he added looking at her with a mischievous glare in his eyes.

She knew the Marauders were clever, but they always used it to get into trouble. She had never considered what difficult feats they could tackle when they worked for good, when they worked out of friendship, loyalty, and love.

"What happened to him?" She asked again sensing his vulnerability.

"Honestly, it's his story to tell," he said.

"Spoken like a true noble stag," Lily said. They sat in silence for a moment. Lily understood more about James from the past hour than from the past 6 years, and James thoroughly appreciated Lily's uncharacteristic compliment.

She understood that she probably wouldn't get much more out of him. "If things are really okay," she said trusting him, "then I should be getting back to the Dursley's house. My sister is marrying one of your neighbors down the street and I'm just here for the night, before heading off to London for the summer," she explained.

"I'll walk you home," he motioned.

"I'll be fine," she said.

"No, seriously; I'll walk you home," he said. "I need to make sure you exit correctly and then I need to replace the charm."

"There's no arguing with you, is there?" She said walking for the door. "But let me teach you a better one," she added. "Anyone can break through the one you set."

"No, Lily, not anyone, just you," he replied. "Neither Sirius, nor Peter, can set that one, and most people don't know the counterspell. I wasn't expecting a Ministry rated Charmest at my house this evening," he said honestly.

"Given the unexpected, I'll teach it to you anyway."

"But I'm still going to use the other."

"Suit yourself," she said.

"Lily, I'm almost confident that I won't be able to set it without you."

"Is James Potter admitting that he can't do something," she asked taking on his joking role.

"I'm admitting that you've got me beat on this one," he said quietly. With that he reset his old charm. "Can I walk you home now?"

_Maybe I've been wrong about him_, she thought. _With his guard down James can be rather pleasant._ She nodded.

"Did I just get a yes, from the fairest Lily?" he joked getting back to his normal self.

_Pleasant, _she thought, _but those moments are few and in between_. She smirked, "Don't think of it that way. I'm letting you walk me home as a thank you for saving my life."

"The fairest Lily is thanking the noble stag for his gallant act of saving her life. This is a first." James said comically, though there was a trace of nervousness in his voice.

And it was a first. The first time he saved her life. The first time she would thank him. The first time she would catch herself in one of his transfiguring charms.

* * *

A/N: I know I promised Thursday updates, but it's summer... and I was being lazy. Again, thank you so much for the reviews! I really appreciate them!

* * *

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, and I do not own Harry Potter.


	4. Sealed With A Kiss

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, and I do not own Harry Potter, but I love her wizarding world.

* * *

**A Love for All Ages**

**By: Aepple**

Chapter 4

Sealed with a Kiss

After leaving Petunia and Vernon in Godric's Hollow, Lily's summer passed quite quickly. Though she had seen most of Gringotts, she could never have imagined the depth of its intricacies. She spent half of her time exploring it with Lucas, the small goblin who had allowed her to follow him through his usual routine care of the facilities. The other half she spent with Jessica Kingsley, her summer roommate, who added immensely to Lily's summer experience.

Jessica, a Pennsylvania native interning at the Ministry of Magic, took every opportunity she could to explore London and England. With her Lily had seen places she never would have gone alone: the Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Blenheim Palace, the National Gallery of Art, and today they sat in the stands just outside of London waiting for the World Quidditch Cup to start.

Jessica and Lily's nosebleed seats gave them a good view of the entire stadium. Lily, who had never been to a _real _Quidditch game, animatedly took in her surroundings with everyone decked out in their team's colors. A few rows ahead of them, Lily even saw a messy haired boy who resembled James. The dark brownish, reddish black color of his hair insured it couldn't be him, however.

She looked down at the small scar on her hand. It had been two months since Lily last saw James, and she couldn't get him out of her mind, not since he saved her life. The scar always reminded her. She hadn't noticed it until after he walked her home. As she fell to the ground that evening running away from Remus, she had lightly scraped her hand. It didn't bleed like other cuts, but it left a scar, a permanent impression. She admired it as she twisted her mother's ring between her fingers.

James' look alike wore a red robe and had a slight glow about him. He laughed and turned his head, catching Lily's eye for a brief moment before she looked away, still not completely recognizing that it was him.

James, however, couldn't mistake Lily anyway, and made his way through the stands to where she and Jessica sat.

"Lily…" he said gently once he reached her side.

Recognizing his voice Lily smiled gently and turned around, "James," she said quietly. "I didn't recognize you. Your hair… It's lighter."

"Lily, it's summer," James said, his normal arrogant air beginning to emerge, but lighted with an air of geniality.

"But you look older too." She heard herself say.

He hesitated, as if to say something, but bit his tongue.

"I'm sorry for staring," she said.

"So you admit it, the staring."

"Yes," she spoke, this time there was no snap back from her, no clever retort. "You reminded me of someone… you, I suppose."

He smiled. "It is strange finding you here of all places." He said.

"I do like Quidditch."

"You could have fooled me. I don't think you've been to a single game."

"Actually, I've never been to a _real_ Quidditch match. This is Jessica, my roommate, from the US. She wanted to see a game."

"You'll have a pretty hard time seeing it from up there. We have seats here, but my dad also has a booth if you two care to join us. The view is amazing," he said.

Lily looked at Jessica, who had a huge grin on her face and nodded at the proposition.

"Thank you James. I think we might actually like that." Lily said.

"Meet Sirius and me down in the lobby by Section H," he said, jubilation in his voice. And with that he was gone. The messy haired boy had left, the messy haired boy with the lighter hair, the messy haired boy who she was now going to be civil to her, because he saved her life. James had changed.

"You didn't tell me you had a hot boy," Jessica joked after James had left.

"I don't think he's hot. And he's not my boy." Lily tried to correct her.

"I saw the way he was looking at you," Jessica said.

Lily shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh no, I want to hear more of these detail when we get home."

"He's not my boy." Lily added again. With that Lily and Jessica headed downstairs to Section H.

James and Sirius walked Jessica and Lily up to his fathers' booth, where they met most of James' extended family. They all seemed to be rather wealthily retired, though he parents had been working as aurors since 'You Know Who' had started to rise to power again.

Once the Quidditch game started the men became so involved in the game that they hardly noticed the girls' presence, which if anything allowed Lily to view into James' 'unguarded' psyche. He rooted for the home team, even though they were the underdogs – loyalty. He winced when one of their seekers had collided with one of the chasers – empathy. He gave Sirius the last of his chips, after Sirius spilled his all over the ground – kindness. And even after the home team had won, he offered to see the girls home instead of joining the on field party.

"Oh! Thank you," Jessica exclaimed.

Lily just rolled her eyes and sighed. His charm seemed to work on every girl, from anywhere.

"Lily is lucky to have such nice friends," Jessica said. "You've all been very kind."

In truth they had been very kind though Lily did not know how James would act if say a Slytherin would walk by. Jessica had only seen James' kindness. She hadn't seen the pranks he pulled, the people he had tortured over the years. But, she also hadn't seen him at his best, his selflessness, his loyalty, the people he helped, and the pain he dispelled. Lily wasn't sure which person to trust.

They had taken the floo there. On the way back James' would go first, followed by Jessica, and then Lily. Sirius had already taken off to the on field party so it would only be the three of them. They landed in the lobby of Jessica and Lily's apartment building.

James slightly bowed, "It has been my pleasure."

Jessica was tickled to death, and giggled, "Why thank you, but the pleasure has been all ours."

"We're in town all week if you two ladies are free."

Rolling her eyes Lily said, "No, I've got a bunch of stuff to do this week, and before leaving for Hogwarts." It was too much for her.

"Well then I shall see you on the train, later this week," he replied to Lily, ever so accidentally hitting her on the mouth with his wand.

"Oh, I'm sorry," James said, immediately performing the healing spell for the side of Lily's mouth with his wand.

"James, now there's gonna be a scar. I don't want another scar." She held up her hand. "Do you see this one? This one happened the night… um… that I fell in the woods behind your house."

He grabbed her hand, pulling it closer so he could see the scar.

Seizing her opportunity Jessica spoke matter of factly, "I work with a healer. Actually, if you kiss it, it seals in the magic, and there won't be a scar."

"That's nonsense," Lily said.

"Does she really work for a healer, Lily?" James asked.

"Well… yes, all summer," she said impatiently.

"Do you really want another scar, on your mouth at that?" James retorted.

"No," Lily said quietly. "Jessica, you do it."

She put her hands up, "I don't think so," she laughed.

"Lily…" James said questioningly, rubbing the scar on her soft hand with his thumb.

"Okay, just do it quickly."

He leaned in and quickly, gently, & softly kissed the side of her mouth, which sent electric chills down her spine. "Did that make it better?" He whispered looking into her eyes.

Breathless at this point she looked down and softly answered, "I think so."

"It was nice to meet you Jessica. And I see you on the train in a week Lily." He touched her hand again sending similar chills through her body as he left.

"Sealed with a kiss? Why haven't I heard of that before? I think it worked. That kiss was electric."

Jessica smiled to herself. "Tell me more about this kiss. I've never had it done on me before."

"It was, indescribable really, like … sunshine. I feel much better."

"Yeah, kisses will do that to you. You should try them with hot boys more often," Jessica smiled. "Now I want to hear about more about James."

* * *

A/N: It's been a month since I last updated. I'm so sorry! This chapter was actually the first chapter I wrote of this story. I had to go back to write about the werewolf event.

* * *

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, and I do not own Harry Potter.


End file.
